The Ford
Library
became
the test
site for
the prototype
of the
Presidential
Libraries
Information
Network
(PRESNET)
in April
1986.
Ever since,
the staff
has been
using
the system
for all
new descriptive
work and
retrospective
conversion
of finding
aids produced
in earlier
years.

FunctionsPRESNET
consists
of a series
databases
covering
many aspects
of archival
work.
The principal
module
allows
archivists
to enter
detailed
descriptions
of collections
and their
individual
series
and folders.
All information
appearing
in traditional
collection
inventories
is included
as are
folder-level
page counts,
date spans,
and subject
index
terms
drawn
from a
thesaurus.
Sub-modules
permit
the creation
of transfer
or withdrawal
sheets
for items
moved
to other
locations
or temporarily
closed
to research.
Additional
modules
allow
archivists
to track
contacts
with potential
donors
and create
accession
records.

SearchingThe
reference
database
contains
collection
and series-level
descriptions
for each
open collections
and folder-level
records
for all
but a
few collections.
As of
April
1999,
the 63,000
description
records
index
5200 linear
feet of
material
in 200
different
collections.
Nearly
90% of
the Library's
open materials
are described
at the
folder-level
with the
Ford Congressional
Papers
comprising
three-fourths
of the
undescribed
backlog.

The
searching
software
permits
both
simple
and
boolean
searches
using
controlled
vocabulary
indexing
terms
(view a list of indexing terms currently in use
in the database) and/or natural
text.
Search
reports
list,
collection-by-collection,
all
series
and
folders
containing
material
on a
topic.
Researchers
cannot
search
the
database
directly
through
the
Internet,
but
can
request
that
search
reports
be mailed
to them.
To request
a search, please
contact
the Library.

Hardware
and
SoftwarePRESNET
runs
on a
Compaq
ProLiant
3000
computer
with
the
Windows
NT Server
version
4 operating
system.
It can
be accessed
for
both
searching
and
data
entry
from
any
personal
computer
on the
Library's
local
area
network.
PRESNET
employs
the
SEEK
database
software
developed
by GP
Solutions,
Inc.
of Baltimore,
MD,
and
the
UniData
relational
database
management
system
from
Ardent
Software,
Inc.
of Westboro,
MA.